Stamp holding device



July 16,1957 B. B. CANNON I 2,799,399

STAMP HOLDING DEVICE' Filed Nov. 4, 1952 9 INVENTOR.

ENJAM/N B. C A NNON:

ATTORNEY.

United States v Patent 2,799,399 STAMP HOLDING DEVICE Mich., assignor toBur- Benjamin B. Cannon, Detroit,

Mich., a corporation of This invention relates to a stamp holdingstructure and has to do particularly with a structure comprising a tievice for holding stamps in prearranged order permitting cyclic usethereof together with means for mounting the device so that the nextsucceeding stamp automatically replaces a removed stamp.

Accounting machines are available for accomplishing the accountingprocedure required in normal business functions and while some of thesemachines include a typewriting machine as a component part, many do notinclude this typewriting equipment. Machines of the latter type can, forinstance, accumulate and record all of the information for the issuanceof payroll checks including the posting of hours worked, rate per hour,gross wages, authorized deductions and net wages; however, such machinesdo not provide means for identifying by name the employee whose time isbeing accounted on the payroll check or accounting ledger.

One object of the present invention is to provide a simple andinexpensive device for use with a machine of the above-described type toincrease the utility of the machine by providing a means ofcomplementing the functions performed by the machine with certainwritten information without the necessity of employing a typewritingmachine.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a devicefor maintaining and storing preassembled, information-containing-devicesin position for ready access and use.

A further object of the present invention is a provision of a stamp trayand rack therefor permitting the prearrangement of devices containingpreassembled information and permitting cyclic use and return of thedevices to the prearranged order.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a stampholding tray capable of being stored in a conventional manner when notinuse; i. e., horizontally in a storage cabinet, and a stand support forpositioning the tray when in useso that gravity, may operate upon thestamps within the tray to bring them into usable position. j

Another object of the present invention in accordance with the precedingobjects is to provide a stamp holding tray havingprovisions forsupporting the stamps vertically within the tray and furtherprovided'withmeans'fornormally retaining the stamps within the tray butpermitting removal and return of the stamps at pred'esignated' openmgs.

Another object of the present invention is theprovi's ion of a rack forsupporting a stamp carrying tray in position to permit the forcesofgravity to move the stamps within the tray, the rack being providedwith openings-topermit access to the stamps within thetray and withmeansfor locking the tray within the rack. 1

A further object of the present invention in-accordance withthepreceding objects is the provision of astamp carrying tray and'supporting racktherefor wherein both the tray and supporting rackare-provided withceoperat Patented July 16,1957

ing cut-away portions permitting ready access to the stamps within thetray.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a stamp carryingtray and rack for the tray wherein both the tray and rack are providedwith complementary portions effecting a locking of the tray within therack.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a tray forsupporting a plurality of stamping devices a means for spacing thestamps from the base of the tray and for .slidably supporting the stampswithin the tray;

'Further objects and features of the present invention will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the 'art by reference to the specificationand appended drawings illus-' trating a preferred embodiment in which:

Fig. l is a perspective showing of the tray and rack of the presentinvention with the lower portion of the tray shown resting in the rackand with the remainder of the tray broken away and withdrawn above therack in a position parallel to that which it would assume if positionedwithin the rack;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the tray within the rack ascontemplated by the present invention, the section being taken normal tothe plane of the bed of the rack and tray;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the presentinvention taken in the same manner as is employed to develop Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the tray of thepresent invention with a side wall cut away to show the stamps andsupports therewithin.

The present invention comprises a tray 10 which may be of sheet metalconstruction having a base portion 11 andside walls 12 and 13 extendinginto folded-over re.- taining lips '14 and 15. The ends of the tray 10are closed by end plates Hand 17 suitably secured to the side walls 12and 13 as by screws, rivets or spot welding at the front and rearrespectively. The end plate 16 is provided with a handle 18 hingedlysupported between this plate and a strap 19.- A pair ofspacer'bars21'and 22 may be secured by any suitable means (not specifically shown)to the base portion 11 or to the side walls 12 and 13 respectively andextend along the length of the tray to function in a manner to be morefully described hereinafter.

The tray 10 is adapted to support a plurality of stamps 23 or otherinformation containing devices of a similar type constructed of a bodyportion 24 provided with a printing surface 25 of a suitable materialsuch as rubber. The stamps may also be provided with an identificationlabel 26 at the top thereof to indicate the information which is etchedor assembled on the printing surface 25.

The folded-over retaining lips 14 and 15 are cut away an equal extent attheir respective ends as shown inPig. 1 to provide an opening or exit10a for permitting the removal of the bottom-most stamp 23 at one end ofthe tray 10 and to permit the return of the stamp through an opening orentrance 10b at its other end. The rear end plate 17 also is cut away at17a to provide more ready access to the bottom-most stamp. A pair ofpins 2-0 are secured to the rear end'plate 17 by any suitable manner andare positioned to cooperate with other parts of the invention to bedescribed hereinafter.

The present invention further includes a tray-support ing rack 27, whichmay also be of sheet metal construction, having a base portion 28" andside walls 29 and 31. The bottom end of the rack is closed by a foldedever end portion 32 and is provided with a pair of inwardly extendingbut spaced barriers 33 and 34 respectively formed from a portion of theside walls 29 and 31 while the top end of the rack is open. convenientuse of the present invention, rack27 is adapted ice to stand at an acuteangle to the surface uponwhich For the purposes of,

- a 3 it is supported, this being accomplished by a pair of support legs35 and 36 secured to the rack as by welding and in the manner as shownin Fig. l. Strips of cushioning material 39 are secured by suitablemeans to the horizontal portions 40 of the support legs 35 and 36 toprevent marring of the supporting surface upon which the rack isplaced'and to prevent sliding of the rack when it is in use.

The rack 27 is adapted to have the tray 'removably inserted thereinbetween its side walls 29 and 31 with the base 11 of the tray resting onthe base portion 28 of the rack 27. As the tray 10 moves downwardly onthe base portion 28 it is limited by engagement of its end plate 17 withthe-upper edges of barriers 33, 34 whereby the tray is arrested inspaced relation with end portion 32 of therack: In this position thepreviously described pins 20 are positioned under and in locked relationwith 33, 34 to prevent accidental displacement of the lower: end of tray10 from the rack when the lower-most stamp 23 is withdrawn from thetray. The barriers 33, 34 being spaced, ready access is provided to thelowermost stamp 23 through the cut-away portion 17a of end plate 17.

In Fig. 2 the tray is shown inserted in the rack 27 in the manner inwhich it is intended to be used. From this figure it can be seen thatthe stamps 23 are slidably supported at their lower outer edges on thebars 21 and 22 at a sufiicient height to prevent the printing surfaces25 from contacting the base 11. It can likewise be seen that the traymay be transported without concern for the stamps 23 falling out astheir top surfaces cooperate with the folded-over retaining lips 14 andexcept for those portions defined by the exit 10a and entrance 10b, andmeans may readily be devised to prevent dropping of the stamps fromthese openings, as for instance by an expansible element (not shown)which can be inserted in the tray when not in use to hold the stampstightly between the end plates 16 and 17.

In Fig. 4 wherein the stamps 23 are shown in side elevation itcan beseen that there is a slight concave indentation 37 along the lower sidesurface of the stamp and a chamfered edge 41 at the top. The concaveindentation provides a surface which may readily be grasped by a fingerof the user to assist in removal of the stamp from the tray. In theprocess of removing the bottommost stamp from the tray, the nextsucceeding stamps in the tray drop by the action of gravity towards thebottom-most position and the chamfered edge 41 allows the nextsucceeding stamps to travel gradually downwardly in the tray until thesubstantially removed from the tray.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of the present invention wherein the bodyportion of the tray is made from one piece of sheet metal. The bars 21and 22 of Figs. 1 and 2 are simulated by fabricated folds in theformation of the base portion of the tray to provide barriers 51 and 52upon which stamps 24 may be slidably supported.

The functional operation of the stamp tray and rack of the presentinvention is readily apparent from the preceding description of itsparts. The invention is particularly adaptable for use in an oflice orbusiness procedure wherein an employees name or similar designation isrequired on a plurality of forms and in which the required bottom-moststamp has been names or designations in the procedure recur in aperiodic cyclic manner, although it is to be understood that the use isnot restricted to this application alone as many other uses will bereadily apparent. An example of an application for the stamps and thepresent invention is in performing a payroll operation when using anaccounting machine that is not provided with an included typewriter,When the stamps contain information, such as anemployees name, suchinformation can be stamped on the payroll ledger sheet, the pay check,the time card employee is to use, and on any other record media in theoperation and other required numerical 4 data may be entered on suchmedia by any well known accounting machine. The operator making up thepayroll need only place in the rack 27 the tray containing the stamps 23having the names of those employees whose payroll is being processed,then remove the bottom-most stamp through exit opening 10a and afterinking the printing surface 25 stamp those records which require thatemployees name. After all of that employee's records have been stamped,the stamp 23 may be returned to the tray 10 through the top opening 10band the next stamp 23 at the bottom may then be removed and used forstamping the records of the corresponding employee. When the records ofthe employees whose stamps are in the tray in present use have beencompleted, a condition indicable by a blank marking stamp giving noticeof completion of the cycle of the stamp, the stamps are again in theiroriginal order and the tray may be returned to its storage cabinet (notshown) and the next tray of stamps may be placed in the rack. When theentire payroll has been processed, all the stamps will be in theiroriginal order and all will be readily and orderly accessible for thenext pay period operation.

While the functional operation of the illustrated embodiment of thepresent invention has been described in some detail as applicable to apayroll operation it is understood that the invention may have manyother applications in business and other operations, and while certainpreferred embodiments of the invention have been specifically disclosed,it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, asmany variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A device for use in an operation requiring periodic cycleidentification of information comprising in combination an elongatedtray for holding a plurality of identifying means, said identifyingmeans having a supporting portion at each side thereof and a printingportion intermediate said supporting portions and projecting beyond thesupporting surfaces thereof, means for retaining said identifying meanswithin said tray, a rack for supporting said tray at an acute angle withrespect to a horizontal reference, said rack including means forremovably receiving said tray, said retaining means having first cutoutportions defining an exit therein at the end which is lowermost whensaid tray is supported in said rack permitting the removal of thebottom-most identifying means from said tray and second cutout portionsdefining an entrance therein at the end which is uppermost when saidtray is supported in said rack providing a return opening for saididentifying means to said tray, spaced support means within said trayadapted to slidably engage said supporting portions of said identifyingmeans and support said identifying means thereon, said retaining meansbeing in spaced relation permitting identification of said identifyingmeans throughout its normal travel on said support means through saidtray, and said tray and rack having cooperating cutout portions thereinat their lowermost ends permitting ease of removal of said identifyingmeans from said tray.

2. A device for holding stamping devices for use in a cycle postingoperation or the like comprising in combination an elongated rectangulartray providing an enclosure forholding a plurality of stamping devicesin a prearranged cyclic order, said stamping devices having a supportingportion at each side thereof and a printing portion intermediate saidsupporting portions and projecting beyond the supporting surfacesthereof, retaining means holding said stamping devices within said tray,said retaining means having spaced cutout portions defining spacedopenings therein for permitting the removal of one stamping device at atime and for permitting the return of said removed stamping devices totheir prearranged cyclic order, a pair of bars extending longitudinallyof said tray and slidably engaging said supporting portions of saidstamping devices, a rack for supporting said tray at'an acute angle withrespect to a horizontal reference to cause said stamping devices toslide along said longitudinal supports by. gravitational force, saidrack including means for removably receivingsaid tray, andcooperatingcutout portions in said tray and rackfor permittingease ofaccess to saidstamping devices.

3. A device for use in an operation requiring. periodic cyclicidentification of informationcomprising in combination an elongated trayfor enclosing a plurality of identifying means, said identifying meanshaving a supporting portion at each side thereof and a printing portionintermediate said supporting portions and projecting beyond thesupporting surfaces thereof, a rack for supporting said tray at an acuteangle with respect to a horizontal reference, laterally spaced supportmeans within said tray for slidably engaging said supporting portions ofsaid identifying means and supporting said identifying means thereon, apair of retaining means for retaining said identifying means againstaccidental displacement from within said tray, said retaining meanshaving first cutout portions defining an exit therein at the end whichis lowermost when said tray is supported in said rack permitting theremoval of the bottom-most identifying means from said tray and secondcutout portions defining an entrance therein at the end which isuppermost when said tray is supported in said rack providing a returnopening for said identifying means to said tray, each of said pair ofretaining means being laterally spaced one from the other permittingobservation of said identifying means throughout the normal travelthereof through said tray between said exit and entrance, said tray andrack being provided with third and fourth cutout portions respectivelyat their lowermost ends permitting ease of access to said identifyingmeans within said tray, and cooperating locking means on said tray andrack for releasably locking the lowermost end of said tray againstlateral displacement from said rack.

4. A structure of the class described for holding a plurality of stampsto permit repeated cyclic use thereof, said stamps each having asupporting portion and a printing portion adjacent thereto andprojecting beyond the supporting surface thereof, said structurecomprising a stamp supporting member having a substantially straightelongated stamp supporting surface for slidably engaging said supportingportion of said stamps and supporting said stamps thereon in stackedrelation crosswise of said surface, means for releasably mounting saidsupporting member with said stamp supporting surface slanting in itslengthwise direction with respect to a horizontal reference, guide meansfor maintaining said stacked stamps in aligned relationship on saidsupporting surface, stop means disposed at opposite ends of saidsupporting surface for defining limiting positions of said stamps, andstamp retaining means extending above said stamps with respect to saidsupporting member between points spaced from the respective stop meansby at least a distance sufficient to permit the insertion and removal ofa stamp.

5. A structure of the class described for holding a plurality of stampshaving a stamping surface on one side thereof and a supporting portionadjacent said stamping surface to permit repeated cyclic use thereof,said structure comprising a stamp supporting member having an elongated,generally rectangular surface for slidably engaging said supportingportion of said stamps and supporting said stamps with the stampingsurface facing toward the supporting surface and crosswise thereof,guide means for maintaining said stamps in aligned, stacked relation onsaid supporting surface while permitting sliding movements thereon,means disposed at opposite ends of said supporting surface for defininglimiting positions for said stamps thereon, stamp retaining meansextending above said stamps with respect to said supporting surfacebetween points spaced from the respective limiting means at the ends ofsaid supporting surface by a dissaid supporting portions of said stamps,end portions at tan'ce sufficientsto. permit the insertion and removalof" a stamp, and supportingmeans for releasably mounting said stampsupporting member with the surface thereof in a slanting. relation withrespect to a horizontal reference with one-end of said elongated stampsupporting surface lowermost.

6. A structure of the class described for holding a plurality of stampsto'permit repeated cyclic use thereof, said stamps being provided with astamping surface on one side thereof and a supporting portion adjacentsaid stamping surface, comprising a stamp supporting member including anelongated, generally rectangular surface for slidably engaging saidsupporting portion of said stamps and supporting said stamps with thestamping surface facing toward the supporting surface and crosswisethereof, guide means for maintaining said stamps in aligned, stackedrelation on said supporting surface while permitting sliding movementsthereon, means disposed at opposite ends of said supporting surface fordefining limiting positions for said stamps thereon, stamp retainingmeans extending above said stamps with respect to said supportingsurface between points spaced from the respective limiting means at theends of said supporting surface by a distance sufiicient to permit theinsertion and removal of a stamp, supporting means for mounting saidstamp supporting member with the surface thereof in a slanting relationwith respect to a horizontal reference with one end of said elongatedstamp supporting surface lowermost, and interlocking means on said stampsupporting member and said mounting means for releasably latching saidstamp supporting member onto said mounting means therefor.

7. A tray for holding a plurality of stamps in stacked relation andpermitting withdrawal and reinsertion thereof at respective oppositeends of the device one at a time to maintain said stamps in apredetermined order, said stamps having a supporting portion at eachside thereof and a printing surface intermediate said supportingportions and extending below the supporting surface of said portionscomprising a generally rectangular bottom portion for slidablysupporting said stamps, a pair of side portions for maintaining saidstamps in aligned relationship, end portions limiting endwise movementof said stamps, retaining means extending inwardly from at least one ofsaid side portions partly over said stamps to prevent removal thereof ina direction away from said bottom portion parallel to their normalposition thereon, said retaining means terminating short of said endportions by a distance at least suflicient to permit removal andinsertion of said stamps one at a time, and laterally spaced supportmeans extending along each side of said bottom portion adapted toslidably engage said supporting surfaces of said portions of said stampsand support said stamps thereon.

8. A tray for slidably holding a plurality ofstamps in a stackedrelation and in a predetermined sequence to permit repeated cyclic usethereof and adapted to be removably mounted in a slanting position withrespect to a horizontal reference on a supporting rack provided withlock-receiving means, said stamps having a supporting portion at eachside thereof and a printing portion intermediate said supportingportions and projecting beyond the supporting surface thereof, said traycomprising a generally rectangular stamp supporting member,substantially parallel stamp guide portions extending along each side ofsaid member and adapted to slidingly engage each end of said member,stamp retaining means extending inwardly from at least one of said sideportions and spaced from said supporting member by a distance sufficientto accommodate stamps therebetween for sliding movements on said memberlongitudinally thereof while preventing movements of said stamps awayfrom said member parallel to their normal stacked position thereon, saidretaining means extending between points spaced .27 from said endmembers by a distance'at least sufficient to remove and insert saididentifying means one at a time, and locking means mounted on oneof saidend portions of said stamp supporting member and adapted to releasablyengage said lock receiving means on the 5 supporting rack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.168,140 Cannon Nov. 11, 1952 8 Fenn Aug. 15,: Weiss Sept. 25, Ray May28, Smith Dec. 30, Dunn 'J-une 19, Eckerly May 6, Owitz Aug. 29, HermaniDec. 26,

